Desert rock ...
Concert goers walk in front of the San Jacinto Mountains during the
Coachella festival. Photograph: Lucas Jackson/ Reuters
Glastonbury festival-goers regard their annual thrash
in the west country mud as a bonding experience; you don't really know
someone until you've danced, eaten, slept and sampled hallucinogenic
substances with them on the same patch of liquid field. Veterans of the
Coachella festival in southern California would find it hard to
empathise. Temperatures at the three-day bash regularly exceed 90F, and
the only water to be had comes out of a bottle; baking in the afternoon
sun is part of the desert rock experience.
Now in its
eighth year, Coachella, run by Los Angeles-based promoter Goldenvoice,
has put Indio, one of nine cities that make up the Coachella Valley, on
the map for Generation Y.
This year, Bjork, the Red Hot
Chilli Peppers and a reunited Rage Against the Machine are headlining,
with UK acts such as Amy Winehouse, the Arctic Monkeys, the Kooks, the
Kaiser Chiefs and Lily Allen also on the bill.
Like
Glastonbury, Coachella rose from humble beginnings. The first festival,
in 1999, attracted just 25,000 people. This year, the organisers are
expecting around 180,000.
After losing money during its
first few years, it is now the Unites States' premier music festival; it
has spawned several imitators, most notably Tennessee's Bonaroo
festival, all hoping to emulate its winning formula.
But
just as hardcore Glasto fans bemoan the commercialisation of their
festival, so sun-freckled West Coast indie rockers complain about the
death of the real Coachella. The Americans had a head start in that
respect, however. Coachella takes place in a field, sure, but the Empire
Polo Club, just south of Palm Springs, is a long way, in every sense,
from Michael Eavis's dairy farm in Somerset.
While just
about everyone who wants to go to Coachella usually finds a way in, the
crowd has become increasingly moneyed as ticket prices have risen ($249
for a three-day pass this year). The Hollywood set has certainly moved
in - you're as likely to bump into Drew Barrymore or Cameron Diaz as the
long-lost girlfriend you last saw at the beer tent four years ago - and
there is a much-buzzed about VIP area, where misting fans keep the
well-connected cool. Last year, Coachella was even blessed by Madonna,
who insisted on coming to the desert to play a set for the influential
crowd of music writers and DJs in the dance tent.
The
Coachella set is more likely to be found at a hotel, where they can keep
their Grey Goose vodka on ice for the after-gig party, than slumming it
on the hard, cold desert ground. (The festival MySpace page is
currently advising: "If you plan on booking a hotel, do it now!") But
it's not all glammed-up Hollywood chic. Indie rockers from Seattle to
Chicago now make the annual pilgrimage to catch up on the latest bands
(this year's up-and-coming groups include Sweden's Peter, Bjorn and John
and Brazil's CSS).
The crowd is most certainly not to be
confused with those at the annual desert freak-out Burning Man, in
Nevada, although, Coachella trustafarians can be seen engaging in
activities familiar to Burning Man aficionados (watching fire eaters,
"tripping out" to the massive tesla coil that lights up the night sky
every year).
Like any self-respecting oasis, the Empire
Polo Field appears to drivers arriving from nearby cities such as Los
Angeles, Las Vegas and Phoenix like an emerald sea surrounded by desert
and mountains. The days are hot, but dusk brings a merciful breeze that
blows through tall palm trees behind the main stage.
Surrounded
by the San Bernardino and San Jacinto mountain ranges, Coachella Valley
is a breathtaking venue: stark white against the mountains, the
festival's signature marquees reach for the desert sky. Last year,
Iceland's Sigur Ros took to the main stage at sunset, crashing cymbals
and reverb-ing guitars pinging off the mountains as a pink sky turned
red and temperatures plummeted.
It might get chilly, but
it's a hell of a spot for a campsite. The likes of Cameron and Drew
prefer their stunning villas and hotels around Indio or Palm Springs
(Frank Sinatra's former home is available to rent for around pounds
2,000 if you're feeling flush, see facing page), but for the full
'chella vibe, all you need is a tent and a cloudless,starry night sky.
· Coachella takes place from April 27-29. This year's
event is almost sold out, but Goldenvoice says it is hoping to make some
tickets available at the gate. More information at
coachella.com.
Goldenvoice is also promoting the inaugural annual country music
festival, Stagecoach, at the same site, May 5-6. Confirmed acts include
Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney and Neko Case. Tickets available at
stagecoachfestival.com/.
